


Gerameweek Day 1: Day and Night

by pajamabees



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Late night shopping, M/M, old couple bickering, old couples using endearments because why not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 20:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15803982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pajamabees/pseuds/pajamabees
Summary: Ludwig might be a little too old for night shopping, but it seems he’s still not yet old enough to resist his husband’s antics.





	Gerameweek Day 1: Day and Night

**Author's Note:**

> This is for day 1 of gerameweek!

The grocery store was quiet at this time of night, with only the sounds of carts squealing and a few hushed conversations. It was mostly young adults and couples who shopped this late, as well as some parents who didn’t want to drag their children, who were probably sleeping at this time, to the store with them. The only ‘kids’ that were in the small local shop were teens, which Ludwig didn’t mind. Their snorts of laughter as they dropped something and covered their mouths as if they had done something bad reminded Ludwig of his younger years. The subtle sound of holiday music playing over the store’s speakers made him feel warm and cozy in all his winter gear, even as cold air blasted his body from hovering over the meat section.

“Honey,” he heard Alfred call, and he turned his gaze slightly to watch him pile a few groceries he had accumulated into the cart, “Did you find anything good?”

Ludwig shook his head and turned back towards the rows of different kinds of red meat, squinting. His eyes were getting old, along with the rest of his body, and he had a difficult time reading the labels. Did the text get smaller over the years?

A soft hand rubbed the small of his back, and Alfred appeared beside him.

“Can you read that?” Ludwig asked him, pointing to one pack in particular. It looked like the kind he needed, but he just wasn’t sure if it was the right brand.

His husband leaned forward over the edge, holding his glasses so they didn’t fall. After a few seconds, he just grabbed the pack and held it an inch from his face. Ludwig frowned. He kept telling Alfred that he needed new glasses.

“Are you looking for the usual?” Alfred asked him, still holding up the pack of meat.

“I am always looking for the usual, Alfred.”

Said man ignored the light sarcasm and handed Ludwig the pack. “I think that’s it.”

Ludwig raised an eyebrow. “You think?”

“I’m 90% sure, okay?”

Ludwig grumbled, but put the meat in the cart anyway, murmuring something about how he was too tired for this.

“Hey,” Alfred lightly touched his arm, “Why are you so grumpy?”

The cart’s wheels squeaked in protest as Ludwig pushed it forward, a slight limp to his walk. “It’s just very late.” 9 P.M. to be exact. It was his bedtime. Both of their bedtimes. They can’t really stay up as late as they used to, and doing so made Ludwig grumpy, no matter how quiet the store was right now.

“I said you didn’t have to come.”

“And if I did not? You would be shopping without a list.”

“Hey, I may be old, but not yet old enough to start forgetting.”

“You always forget groceries, even when you were younger.”

Alfred huffed, now fed up with the argument. He snatched the list from Ludwig and gave it a hard read. “Well this list is stupid, anyway!” He waved it back and forth, until Ludwig stole it back. “And this is supposed to be a trip for Mattie’s kids because we don’t have any children food. What kinda kid eats steak?”

“The steak is not for the kids. I just figured we should grab it, since I was planning on buying it on our next shopping trip anyway.”

Alfred was barely listening to him, irritated and already walking away. “Whatever. I’m gonna go get the eggs and milk.”

With that, Ludwig was left alone with the cart again, and he sighed as he strolled to the next aisle. They always had regular shopping days, and none of them were at night. At least, not anymore. He remembered how they used to when they were young couples, just moved in together with sporadic schedules. Shopping at night was something they did because they just didn’t have time during the day, and also because they were young and slept later.

Even though shopping at night had always been relaxing and calm, Ludwig just wanted to go to sleep. They had to pick up Matthew’s kids early in the morning, and he really wished Alfred told him sooner so this could have been avoided. But alas, it was over and done with, and he continued down the aisle of cereal and snacks.

He was just about to pick out some Cheerios before suddenly his cart rattled. Alfred was standing behind him with a weird look on his face, and Ludwig stared at him in confusion before glancing inside the cart.

“Alfred,” he chided, voice tired and exasperated as he picked up the box of Kraft mac and cheese, “We don’t need this.”

Alfred hummed, putting on a show of pondering before staring at Ludwig with challenging bespectacled eyes. “I think we do.”

Ludwig only sighed. “Al--”

“Oh, c’mon,” the other man interrupted, stomping his foot, but soft enough that it was barely heard, “Mattie’s kids like mac and cheese!”

“And so do you,” Ludwig said as he put the box of cheesy noodles back on the shelf, “I hardly believe you want this just for the kids.”

With the box out of the cart, Ludwig moved on down the aisle, already thinking about what was next on the list. They still needed some apples, since Liam liked eating slices of them. He was pretty sure they were out of peanut butter too, and he had to make sure to get syrup. For some reason, the kids just don’t like the Aunt Jemima kind.

He had just started to think about which vegetables the children liked when the cart rattled once more. Ludwig looked down to see, once again, a box of Kraft mac and cheese.

With a deep frown, his gaze shifted to Alfred, who was staring at him with his arms crossed. “We are not getting that.”

Not even Ludwig’s demanding tone seemed to faze that stubborn man. “Yes, we are.”

They stared each other down for a few moments, separated by the cart, until finally Ludwig reached for the box again, only to be stopped by two hands gripping his forearm. And Ludwig made the mistake of looking up.

“Lutz, please?” Alfred begged, his face a lot softer compared to just moments before, “It’s only $1.50 a box.”

Ludwig tried to resist. He really did. “It is not on the list.”

But Alfred had to step a little closer, he had to lighten his grip and smooth his hands along Ludwig’s arm with a sad face that was nearly impossible to not fall for. “Please.”

And Ludwig’s grumpy mood disappeared in an instant as he was reminded why shopping with Alfred was so difficult. It always had been. Even after 15 years, Ludwig still fell for that face, which was now showing the effects of age--wrinkled forehead because he worried so much, crinkled eyes because he always smiled. And Ludwig still couldn’t say no.

He left the mac and cheese in the cart.

“Yes!” Alfred wrapped his arms around Ludwig’s middle, pressing his lips to his peacoat-cladded shoulder, “Thanks, baby.”

Ludwig scoffed at the nickname. “We are too old for such endearments.” But he leaned into Alfred’s touch anyway.

“What? Nonsense. I can call you whatever I want, studmuffin.” Alfred squeezed his arms tighter, and Ludwig reached down to rub Alfred’s locked fingers, feeling for the old ring on his left hand.

“Keep calling me that, and I will put the box back.”

His shoulder vibrated from his husbands giggles, and a wet kiss smacked against his cheek. “Okay Mr. Grumpy Pants,” Alfred teased, releasing his hold and stepping beside him to read the list once more. Ludwig watched him with a sideways gaze, noticing the few gray hairs poking from Alfred’s head. He suddenly decided to return the kiss, surprising Alfred, who looked up at him after the sweet peck to the cheek.

“I’m sorry for being mean earlier,” he said, and Alfred smiled, that aging face still as beautiful as ever.

“You’re just tired, honey. It was only a small argument. Old couples do that when they get sick of each other, right?”

Ludwig knew he was joking on the last part, but he took it seriously anyway. “I will never grow tired of you.”

And the happy blush that adorned Alfred’s cheeks brightened his mood completely.

“Oh, stop it,” Alfred said with the world’s biggest grin, “You’re such a sap.”

“Only for men who beg their husbands to buy a kid snack. And,” Ludwig reached into the cart, moving stuff around to uncover a hidden tree decoration shaped like a small burger, “men who think they can get away with sneaking things into the cart.”

Now Alfred was blushing for a different reason, and he shrugged his shoulders sheepishly under Ludwig’s know-it-all gaze. “What? It’s cute.”

Ludwig handed him the small ornament. “Alfred...put it back.”

And Alfred listened that time, but not without that sad little pout. They finished their shopping a few minutes after that, no arguing, and certainly no new items that weren’t on the list. Except for that same burger ornament that Ludwig pretended he didn’t see when the cashier scanned and bagged their items. 


End file.
